Reflections from the Village Bard
Artist Ai Wei Wei who is persecuted in China Those of us who have the voice of conscience often do not realize its power to bring about meaningful changes in our communities, our government and our country. This voice of conscience often has a price one has to pay to be heard.Those who pay the…
A noble animal Humans have mistreated animals since a very long time and sadly it continues even today so they kill the beautiful animals in many parts of the world for their teeth, fur or skin. Torture of captive animals also continues but it has to stop now. As people become more aware of…
Shameful gender inequality This topic deals with the serious issue of gender equality that I wrote about in Part one but many readers want to know more so I wrote Part two…
Oil painting by William Walcutt “Pulling down the statue of Geroge III” All dictators fall eventually and their infamous monuments to their own rule are pulled down by the avenging mobs to be replaced by their own heroes. This scrutinizes the penchant for the people to erect monuments and their desire to demolish them when…
African army or militia with guns walking in a field We see in many parts of the world the culture of guns that inevitably leads to violence. There are daily reports of massacres in public places or at home by some…
Most democratic countries need serious electoral reform Honest governance anywhere needs serious electoral reforms that can make the election process transparent and weed out the corrupt people so that honest and poor but qualified people can get the chance to serve…
Jean Ferrat A well-loved singer Jean Ferrat left his imprint on the French conscience permanently through his songs and made them aware of all the injustices in the world, but he also sang about beauty and love. The most poignant songs that touch your heart Ferrat was born in Vaucresson, Hauts-de-Seine, the youngest of four…
Malala Yousafzai said “I dreamt of a country where education will prevail” Women face many discriminations and exploitations because they are considered the weaker sex in many patriarchal cultures where they are still struggling for their basic right to education and gender equality. They suffer bias and many prejudices that fail to recognize them as…
Painting of a person in a horse drawn buggy in a rural area to heal a patient The shortage of doctors, high cost of hospital care and medicines plus long wait to get the required treatment in a good hospital hurts poor people more than the rich. The universal healthcare system in some countries…
Evil man looking forward intently with glowing eyes Our world is full of evil people who do harm to others in order to gain riches and power. Such people start modestly in their early life but gain notoriety progressively…
LGBTQ people It is true that some people are born with attributes that are different from the rest of us, who fall…
Two corrupt men passing money under the table The corruption eats away the national wealth that can be used in the development of the country, yet it is a worldwide phenomenon that needs intense scrutiny. This is about corruption and how to deal with it. When…
Children happily hold out ripe tomatoes We have discarded many good things in the name of progress that allowed poor people everywhere to be self-reliant and earn a living and made it easier for the big…
Stephen Bantu Biko (18 December 1946 12 September 1977) was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s.( This my painting ) A student leader, he later founded the Black Consciousness Movement which would empower and mobilize much of the urban black population. Since his death in police custody,…
Circus performers who participate in dangerous acts Behind the glitter and glamor of the circus, there lurks a dark shadow of cruelty to animals that are made to perform for us under duress so I would like to make people aware so…
Parents cuddling their newborn baby In any system, patriarchal or not where the male child is favored over the female leads to sheltering the child that inhibits the growth of his personality and…
Who should write history? We learn about our past in the history books and are influenced by what we learn. We tend to believe what we read but it…
An evil person gleefully rubs his hands enjoying evil deeds Is it really worth living a life of crime? The criminals think so until the day comes when they can’t think anymore when it is too late to make amends. The post looks…
An overcrowded jail in Asia We often see simple ordinary people thrown in jail for minor infractions in many countries so they suffer needlessly and come out with trauma that bedevils them the rest of their life. The punishment given to anyone should be proportional to the offense so a reform in the penal…
Affordable home Everybody wants to live in a decent home somewhere but not everybody can afford it so what do the poor people in this world have to…